Method and means for removing water from peat.



ABRAHAM TEN BOSCH, N. 1. ZOGN. METHOD AND MEANS FOR REMOVING WATERFROM FEAT.

' APPLICATION FILED APR.23, 1918. 1,290,494.

Patented Ja11.7,l919.

.Znve mic fl 2392230302: MZ/TZoO/Z.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ABRAHAM TEN BOSCH, N. J. zoom, or THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS.

METHOD AND MEANS'FOR REMOVING WATER FROM TEAT. I

x Application filed April 23, 1918. Serial No. 230,597.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, ABRAHAM TEN BosoH, N. J. zoox, a subjectof the Queen of the Netherlands, and residing at 10 Wattstraat, The Hague, the Netherlands, have invented certain "new and useful Improvements in Methods and Means for Removing-Water from Peat, of which the following is a specification.

The present. invention relates to a method and means for forcing water from peat by the application ofheat andpre'ssure.

It is known that watercannot be removed from peat exclusively by pressure even when the highest pressureis employed, and I have found that the water will be rendered more readily expressible if the pulp of the peat has been treated by heat prior to compres sion.

The method according to the invention renders a continuous service possible and has all advantages connected to such service.

The invention is adapted as well for the expression of water from other materials of the samev character as peat.

My invention primarily consists in the method of forcing the peat pulp in a continuous flow against a high resistance through a tower, in which the pulp on its way, is subjected to the heat-treatment preferably by steam having a pressure higher than the atmosphere, and ofthereafter compressing the peat by the forcing pressure.

My invention further provides an improved apparatus or plant for carrying my above mentioned method intofpractice. A

most convenient and suitable plant comprises a tower or a shaft having a steam supply pipe connected to it and being provided below saidsteam supply with an outlet for the expressed water. The lower. end;

of the tower is provided with a funnel having a discharge for the treated pulp. My plant as just specified is extremely simple in construction and operation. All mechanical structures for applying the pressure required to force the peat continually through the inclosed space, 2'. 6., through the tower and the discharge at its bottom are avoided and all disadvantages connected to said auxiliary means are thus obviated. The weight of the pulp itself causes a regular slow flow of the pulp to the discharge end of the tower or shaft. In accordance with my invention, the height of the tower or the shaft direction.

above the steam supplyreferred to is chosen so as to warrant a sufficiently heavy pres sure by the peat infthe upper part of the towerupon thetreated pulp after passing the steam supply, to express the water con; tained in the pulp through the outlet provided for this purpose and to force the pulp V r I Patented Jan. 7,1919.

freed from water through they discharge opening. The height o f the tower or shaft may be made to suit the most eflectiv'e temperature and pressure of the steam supplied.

The plant works entirely automatically and continuously andis very simple in op}- eration. I 1

The accompanying drawing illustrates diagrammatically my improved plant used for carrying out my method.

1. is a tower constructed from sheet steel or another suitable material. This tower is open at the top end, 6. g. it is not closed hermetically; It may be covered in such a manner that charging of the tower during service is not interfered with. The peat pulp is carried upward to the top ofthe tower by means of a suitable'carrierjtnot shown) and poured into thetowe'r at'the top end of same, In order to obtain therequired pressure upon the lower layers of (the pulp within the tower or to suitthe requirements as to the temperatureof the steam for attaining a proper treatment of the pulp the height of the tower is preferably approximately 160 feet. At; some distance from the lower end of the tower a steam supply piping 2 having a cut-ofl' 3 is passed through the wall of the tower and extended into the interior of the latter by an elbow pipe 4. This pipe 1 is perforated over part 5 of its length in' order tojpermit the steam to enter the pulp.

Belowthe pipe 4; the wall of the toweris interrupted by a perforated cylinder 6, constructed as a grid and surrounded by a water reservoir 7. To the bottom of this reservoir a water discharge pipe 8 is connected.

Below the perforated cylinder 6 the tower is extended into a funnel 10 having a mouthpiece 9. Adjacent the discharge opening 11 of said funnel a slide 12 is mounted, operable by means of a rack 13, a pinion 14: and a hand-wheel 15 so as to cut-off the discharge or open same.

The funnel 10 is bent, as shown in the drawing so that the peat freed from water leaves the tower in a horizontal The sectional area .of the discharge is so dimensioned that the peat leaving the mouth piece is in the form of a bar, which may be cut into lumps or briquets.

The plant operates as follows:

The tower 1 is constantly maintained full of pulp. Through the piping 2 and the cutoff 3 steam is continually admitted to the pipe 4. The steam escaping through the perforations 5 finds its way upward through the pulp and renders the water more readily expressible by heat treatment. The pressure upon the pulp next to the steam supply and to the water utlet is very considerable, e. g. with a tower of 160 feet high, and leaving the friction of the peat along the walls out of account, said pressure would amount to approximately 70 lbs. per square inch. As a result steam of high temperature can be applied and an improved treatment is obtained owing to the steam of higher temperatures having a more intensive effect upon the peat. The steam, rising through the pulp eventu ally is condensed in the higher layers of the same, thereby pre-heating the pulp in the top part of the tower.

After having been subjected to the heat treatment, the pulp passes to the perforated cylinder 6. Owing to the heavy pressure upon the peat in the range of the perforated cylinder, the water is forced out of the pulp to the required extent and flows off through the openings in the cylinder 6, into the easing 7 discharging by means of the piping 8.

Pre-heating of the pulp in the tower can be improved by extending the water casing 7 upward, thus providing the tower with a water jacket in which the hot expressed water rises to be let-off at the top end through a piping or an overflow. Also the water flowing from the casing 7 may be used for pre-heating purposes by mixing same with the fresh pulp to be charged into the tower if desired.

The peat freed from water is forced into the funnel 10 and is continually forced through the discharge opening 11 into the atmosphere.

Thefunnel 10 and the discharge opening 11 are so dimensioned relative to the area of I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is j r 1. The method hereinbefore described of removing water from peat by heat treatment which method consists in forcing the pulp of the peat in a continuous flow, against a heavy resisting power, through an inclosed space, in which it is subjected to heat treatment of steam with a pressure higher than the atmosphere and thereupon freed from water by the forcing pressure.

2. A plant for carrying out the method hereinbefore described of removing water from peat by heat treatment, which plant comprises a Vertical tower of such dimensions that the weight of the column of peat pulp therein is suflicient to force the peat through the tower, a charging opening at one end of said tower, a steam supply connected to said space, a water outlet past said steam supply and a discharge opening for the treated pulp freed from Water past said water outlet.

3. A plant for carrying out the method hereinbefore described of removing water from peat by heat treatment, which plant comprises an upstanding lengthy tower, a steam supply-connected to the side wall of said tower, a water outlet underneath said steam supply and a discharge opening beneath said Water outlet presenting a high resistance to the pulp'freed from water.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature ABRAHAM TEN Boson, N. J. ZOON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G. 

